Bernhardt Reitherman was not used to going to the Libra Quarter. Adopted by a surgeon from the Hammer Quarter married to a priestess of Rhya, the young light grey Skaven was rather uncomfortable. On the one hand, he found all these huge houses impressive. Aware that he would never be able to earn the money necessary to live in one or the other of them in a lifetime, he didn't however feel the slightest desire to do so, satisfied with his modest apartments in the temple of Verena.
Besides, this pomp, these refined decorations, this abundance of wealth made him uneasy. Or was it the presence of the guards coming and going? Even if he had been lucky enough to receive a careful education, even if he had never known material poverty, his parents had taught him the value of money.
All these investments, all these expenses just to show that you're richer than your neighbour, when there are so many people on the street who could get out of poverty if these bourgeois gave even a tiny part of their fortune… what a waste!
And the worst was yet to come. Indeed, for the first time in his life, he would have to access the largest, most imposing, most inaccessible place of all: the estate of the Steiner family.
His heart was pounding just thinking about it. Again, he leaned alternately between excitement and fear. He had never been there, and many stories circulated around the place of residence of the people who had founded and commanded Vereinbarung. He had sometimes the opportunity to see one or other of the members of this extraordinary family from afar. He was part of the Generation of the Freed Ones, which meant that the master mage had personally participated in his release from a burrow of the Under-Empire. Like every Skaven aged like hip, he felt indebted to the White Skaven, perfectly aware of having escaped a very unenviable life. He had never had the opportunity to exchange more than a few awkward words with the high archivist's two older brothers. He was replaying in his mind for the ninth time the scene to come, the moment when he would approach one or the other of the two ratmen.
Because I probably won't be able to see her without their agreement!
As he approached the gate that closed the road to the Steiner estate, he stopped. His heart sank more. He raised the bouquet of sunflowers embellished with small decorations to his nose, checked it, slipped an envelope between the stems, and decided to cross the last yards which separated him from the private lands of the princely family. The more he got closer, the more he could hear a clear voice giving instructions. When he found himself in front of the bars, he distinguished the eldest of the siblings, Kristofferson, talking to the gate guards.
- And so, I insist: be more than vigilant! Any suspicious behaviour within these walls should be immediately reported to the Prince, his daughter or myself, and no one else! We found the person who tried to assassinate the High Archivist, that doesn't make him the only culprit!
It was then that Kristofferson spotted the librarian.
- That's it, gentlemen. Dismiss!
The guards returned to their post. The brown Skaven stood in front of Bernhardt, while remaining on the other side of the barrier.
- Greetings, sir… sir who, exactly?
- I am Bernhardt Reitherman, Monsignor. I manage the library in the Temple of Verena, where the High Archivist works.
- Oh yes ! I recognize you, you came to see us at the cemetery.
- Oh, you remember me? Thank you, Monsignor.
- Yes, I didn't see you only at the cemetery, you also exchanged a few words with my sister, at the Shallya temple. I'm rather surprised to see you here?
- Ah… Oh, uh… really?
The big brown Skaven wiggled his whiskers.
- You don't have to feel embarrassed, Master Reitherman.
- Me…? Uh…
- Pretty flowers… Are they for me?
- Nope! I mean… Yes! Well…
The pot-bellied Skaven nervously hid the bouquet behind his back. Kristofferson allowed himself a smile.
- I'm kidding you, Master Reitherman. I think I know who these sunflowers are for. I'm sure she'll appreciate it.
- Ah… You… you believe?
- Let's remove the doubts, please: you came to bring them to the High Archivist?
The poor librarian, his coat drenched in sour sweat, nodded, unable to articulate another word.
- You are the only one from the temple to have come this far, Master Reitherman!
- Ah… oh… Sorry.
- No problem, that's very nice of you. Give them to me, I'll bring to her. In her condition, it is better that no one from outside the house approaches her, you understand?
- Exactly, sir. Does she… at least… how is she?
- Better than since it started. In a few weeks, she should completely recover, there will be no consequences.
- Oh, I'm… delighted!
Kristofferson held out his hand. Bernhardt passed him the bouquet with a trembling hand. The brown Skaven examined him carefully from all angles.
- You will excuse me for this excess of caution, Master Reitherman. I have no antipathy towards you in particular, but in recent days, our family has experienced several adventures that we would have done well without.
- Please, Monsignor, it's normal.
- Anyway, unless I find out that these flowers are scented with warpstone dust, I thank you on his behalf.
- You're welcome, Monsignor.
The librarian bowed, trembling, and hurried away without another word. The tall brown Skaven shrugged, and turned towards the mansion. On the way, he picked up a vase from a small chest of drawers, in which he placed the bouquet.
A minute later, he was at his sister's bedroom door. He knocked.
- What is that?
Kristofferson grimaced.
Oh, she looks to be in a bad mood!
He immediately realized that he hadn't been mistaken when he opened the door: the whole room was bathed in the smell of frustration.
- How are you, sis?
- How do I look like? I'm getting tired of having to stay in bed like this!
- In a few days, it will be better, be patient.
- Tell that to Steadyhand's accomplices! I'm sure they'll try to kill me in my sleep. I wonder why they haven't done it already?
Don't give them any idea, Kristofferson thought annoyed.
- Here, I have something that could cheer you up.
- Come on! So what?
The eldest Steiner took the bouquet of sunflowers from behind his back. She opened her eyes in surprise, sniffled, and her face scowled.
- Who got this wonderful and delicate attention?
- Well, it's...
- Oh, anyway, I don't care! He should know that I hate having flowers picked for me! It's a waste! All of you should know that, for Verena's sake! And you, you didn't say anything! And you continue to say nothing, right now!
Kristofferson felt his hair stand on end in annoyance.
- Hey, that's someone trying to be friendly and caring! Do these words, "friendly" and "caring", mean anything to you, or are you on purpose not to understand?
The young girl yelped in a shrill voice:
- I am sick! Damn!
Kristofferson had had enough. He burst in turn.
- THAT DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO BARK AT ME!
The girl was now crying with rage.
- How can you be so blind, all of you? How cruel! How can't you see you're torturing me so terribly?
In a single gesture, Kristofferson snatched the sunflowers from the vase and swung the bouquet at Bianka's head. Then he threw the vase which broke on the back wall of the room. When he turned his head towards the ratgirl, his eyes glowed with anger. Shocked by the violence of the gesture, Bianka stopped screaming, and remained speechless, painfully managing to sob between two gasps. The brown Skaven whispered:
- Keep crying, you'll stop soiling your bed.
Then he turned on his heels and left the room, not without slamming the door. The shock was so violent that a frame fell off the wall and shattered on the floor. Bianka was left alone with her bitter tears.
Kristofferson almost ran to the stables. He was still shaking with anger, and unknowingly mumbling unflattering words about the high archivist. The wind blew violently in his face. He groaned when he felt pain in his right eye. Irritated, he wiped himself vigorously with his sleeve.
Once the foreign body had been cleared, he entered the large building where the horses of the family and staff lay. The horses had been fed as mid-morning approached. Passing Okapia's box, Kristofferson stopped.
Sigmund's mare had stuck her head over the gate and was strangely staring at him. The brown Skaven looked at her more attentively, and with suspicion. He knew well the sometimes vicious character of the Black Skaven's best friend. Like anyone in the adulthood apart Sigmund and Bianka, he didn't have Okapia's sympathy. Besides, she was very huge, and her slender yet muscular body was always ready to kick anything she didn't like. He had never had an accident before, but since his brother had received her, she had given him several "warnings" when he approached her too closely.
Nevertheless, Kristofferson thought he perceived something else in the mare. A kind of worry. Okapia's eye was dull with sadness. He whispered:
- I feel like you miss him. Don't worry, he will eventually be released. And Bianka… Bianka can console you, when she gets rid of this crap.
Very gently, he brought his hand to the mare's head, and delicately stroked her nostrils.
- Don't worry, girl. We shall…
Suddenly, Okapia snorted loudly and chattered her teeth. Kristofferson hastily withdrew his hand. The mare recoiled quickly after having hit the bulkhead with her hoof. Frightened, the young ratman yelped:
- I was trying to be nice! You could do the same, for once!
From the back of the box, Okapia glared at the brown Skaven. He grumbled:
- You bitch!
He continued on his way to the space reserved for his horse.
All the girls related to Siggy definitively decided to sulk at me, today!
The white horse was peacefully eating straw spread on the ground.
- Hey, Weissherz!
The steed raised up his head to him.
- Come on, boy, let's go out for a bit, it won't hurt me.
Brush in hand, he began to groom Weissherz. He took his time. The peaceful nature of the animal relaxed him a little. Once the stallion's hooves were cleaned, Kristofferson saddled him, grabbed him by the bridle, and walked out into the park. But as he walked away from the mansion, his ear swivelled at the sound of his mother's voice.
- Kit? Are you alright?
He sighed in annoyance, more annoyed at the thought of having to justify himself.
- I am, Mother.
He turned to Heike, who was walking towards him. His strained heart clenched more. The poor ratmother looked exhausted. Her features were drawn, her normally well-groomed coat was spiking, and her whiskers were quivering nervously.
- I'm going for a ride, I need to take a little breath!
His mother immediately smelled his fumes of rage.
- I heard you scream, honey. What's going on? Why are you in this state?
- Because of Bianka.
- What, Bianka?
- I'm afraid they got the wrong diagnosis. Or, at the temple of Shallya, a symptom must be added to green smallpox: "this disease attacks the brain and turns people who contract it into big dumbasses"!
- Into big… Oh, Kit, do you really think it's the right moment? Your sister is exhausted!
- We all are! retorted the brown Skaven. The difference is that I don't let off steam on every...
Something in the corner of the field of vision caught Kristofferson's attention. He swivelled his head, and his face twitched into a surprised grimace.
- What is that, now?
Mother and son walked together to the front gate, Kristofferson still holding his horse. In the street, about thirty people were gathered, Humans and Skaven. When he reached them, Kristofferson asked:
- Well, gentlemen, ladies, what are you doing here?
All belonged to very different social categories. Some were richly dressed, others wore patched clothes. But if their origins differed, a single feeling animated them: a terrible fear, mixed with a deep sorrow. Like Heike, they looked exhausted, and despair was written all over each of their faces.
An elderly Human woman stepped forward. A tall Human who shared her features and a rather beefy Skaven escorted her, both armed with clubs.
- My Lord, my Lady, my name is Abigail Hohenstaufen. I've been sent by the burgomaster of Oberweiler. We have travelled several days to find you.
Heike gestured to the guards.
- We won't leave them on the doorstep if they've come this far. Open to them.
- Are you sure, my Lady?
The ratwoman's gaze hardened.
- These are only citizens who need to be listened to. Come on, let them in!
The guards obeyed. Abigail stepped forward.
- Be thanked, my Lady. Misfortune has struck our province.
She put a hand on the shoulder of the Skaven at her side. The latter, despite his forced assurance, seemed ready to cry.
- Here is my adopted son, Eckhart. I had the great pleasure of welcoming him into my family a few years ago. I lost my husband soon after, fortunately the other villagers helped me a lot, and I was able to raise Eckhart. He quickly became the ideal brother for my other child, Achim. He got married last year, and he and his wife, who stayed at home, made me a grandmother last summer. Alas, their baby boy is missing, along with other children from the latest Harvest, or born to Skaven from previous Harvests. I left with my two sons. Every night we stopped at a village and asked people if they had experienced such horror. Each time someone answered "yes", we invited them to come with us. You have before you all parents from whom a son, a daughter, or several, have been taken away, always under the same conditions: in the middle of the night, in the greatest silence. We came to beg you to do something.
No one needed to add a word. Heike then recognized, in the back, two people she knew well. She slapped her mouth with both hands.
- Shallya have mercy!
Tears welled up in her eyes as her gaze met Gustavus and Erika Finston's. She jumped when she heard her father's voice behind her.
- By the Sword of Verena, what does this gathering mean?
One of the ratmen, more desperate than the others, came forward and almost shouted:
- Your Highness, they stole our children!
- We must find and punish the criminals! a ratwoman chained.
- Is that the way you protect the people who make live Vereinbarung?
Little by little, the voices became more and more vindictive. Suddenly, Gustavus Finston's voice rose above the others.
- Come on! Easy! We're not here to blame our sov'reign! We're here for him to ask him for a solution! He's our Prince, we owe him respect!
The Prince silently thanked the farmer with a look. Heike murmured painfully:
- Erika, Gustavus… If you came with Mistress Abigail, it means…
Erika stammered under her tears:
- Our little Emil's gone!
- We absolutely have to see the Master Mage! moaned Gustavus.
Steiner advanced towards the group, and planted himself in front of the peasant couple.
- By the beard of Taal, what misery. My friends, has the news not reached you?
- What news, your Highness?
- Well… My son – I mean the Master Mage was murdered a few days ago.
The peasant woman stood paralyzed in fright, while her husband fell to his knees.
- Emil! No!
- What to do w'thout him? Woe, woe is upon us!
The Prince knelt beside Gustavus.
- Wait, Master Finston! Calm down, please. The situation is very serious, but not hopeless. Your son has a good chance of survival!
Gustavus looked up, his face flooded with tears.
- What… how?
- Your little boy is a White Skaven. For the inhabitants of the Under-Empire, he's sacred. The leader of these bandits will most likely take him under his protection, if only to avoid being punished by his God. If there is a White Skaven among them, he will want to take him as a disciple.
- My… my son… a black magician?
- Think, for now, he's too young for that! He's going to be kept in the safest place in their burrow, and when we find him, he shouldn't have been mistreated.
Eckhart Hohenstaufen took a step forward. All the Skaven present could feel his anger.
- It's very sad, but it doesn't change anything for us! You are the Prince, we pay our taxes, you must protect us!
His mother didn't hold him back, too tired to prevent him from offending the Prince. Kristofferson didn't react anymore, convinced of his grandfather's ability to answer back without his help. He was right.
The Prince raised his arms.
- Come on, young man! I understand how you feel.
- Do you? Did a Feral Skaven steal your child?
- Yes! Heike replied scathingly.
Eckhart was speechless in surprise. The ratwoman took the opportunity to continue her explanation in an energetic voice.
- Just before the foundation of this Kingdom, I was kidnapped by Grey Seer Vellux! My father did everything to save me, he managed, he will for your child, and all those of others! Keep faith in him, I ask you.
She in turn knelt beside Gustavus, and put a comforting arm on his shoulder, to help him up. The farmer took his wife by the hand.
- So… what are we doin', Your Highness?
The Prince took in the whole assembly before him, and answered in a powerful voice:
- Citizens of Vereinbarung, I will do the necessary. Within the hour, I send orders to increase the number of scouts. Feral Skaven undoubtedly leave traces near the places where they hide, we will track them. Tomorrow morning, at first light, I'm making arrangements to mobilize our army. We'll find your children, and we'll exterminate these foolish cowards!
He patted Kristofferson's arm.
- My grandson here will take you all to Esmeralda's Blessing, it's the best hostel in the capital. You will stay there while waiting to find your children. Do not worry about material questions, I will pay the full costs of your stay, and you won't have to pay them back. No need to add complications to your already great misfortune.
Some of the unfortunates managed to stammer vague thanks. The Prince whispered in the brown Skaven's ear:
- Tell the innkeeper to send me the bill.
- I will, Opa.
- Come on, don't hang around.
Kristofferson quickly got in the saddle.
- Follow me!
The horse crossed the gate at a walk, followed by the procession of citizens. Gustavus and Erika painfully consented to join the movement. When the last villager disappeared around the corner, Steiner allowed himself to sigh.
- Things are getting really, very serious.
- You were able to restore hope to these poor people. You are worthy of your title, Father.
- Thank you, my daughter, but I also have to do everything to keep this title! I'm tired of seeing my kingdom take on water from all sides. We'll have to get tough!
The two Steiners returned to the mansion, unaware that they were being watched.
Indeed, behind a big bush, a little ratboy was feeling the fear of his life.
Gabriel was on the ground, curled up on the grass. His arms nervously wrapped around his head, he couldn't move, speak, or even think coherently. His breathing was in itself a virtually insurmountable physical feat.
A single thought raced in circles in his brain:
The Horned Rat granted my wish! The Gods will punish me, for sure!
As if to underline the heavy divine threat, the bells of the temple of Verena began to ring.
A red veil covered the field of vision of the small light grey Skaven. His eyes flickered, his hair stood on end. Lying on his back, he stretched out his arms so violently that his little claws dug into the ground. His throat no longer contained the slightest drop of saliva. He even felt like he had sweated to the point of being completely dehydrated. His teeth clenched until his jaw cramped.
There is NO ESCAPE!
Leaning against the windowsill of his study, Prince Steiner gazed pensively outside. He followed Commander Renata, who was leaving the estate, with his gaze. He sighed, and articulated aloud:
- Once again, we'll have to settle things in blood.
He spun around, and faced his steward, Vladimir Bäsenhau. The latter, installed in an armchair, was slowly rubbing his chin.
- What's the situation with attacks on villages, Bäsenhau?
- This goes even further than we feared, your Majesty, I'm afraid. Besides these poor people whom you have installed at the Thinriver's, we've received other complaints from other burgomasters who have announced similar news to us. There is even worse: some of the smallest villages have literally been annexed!
- What do you mean, "annexed"?
The steward nodded apologetically.
- Among the missives this morning, I received a particularly overwhelming one; it was sent by Master Wechsel, the burgomaster of Erlabrück. Erlabrück is a small town, framed by three hamlets, each of these hamlets does not include more than half a dozen houses. Well, know that the Feral Skaven unleashed their anger on these targets. They kidnapped the Skaven children, empty cradles have been found, but in the three villages, all the inhabitants who were not Skaven children were massacred without distinction.
- Everybody?
- Skaven parents, and all the Humans, and all that during the same night.
- By the Scales of Verena, how horrible!
- Commander Renata is the best to lead our troops to them.
- No doubt, but I am very worried about Vaucanson. He obliges us to divide our forces, as we had to do six months ago!
- Since his standard-bearer came to provoke you, there has been no sign of additional danger from that side.
- I have the feeling that trouble won't be long in coming. I sent scouts to see the surroundings of Pourseille, they should be back shortly. Either way, I refuse to take the risk of pulling our whole army away in a single travel.
- Hopefully this will be enough to counter the Feral Skaven.
- Renata won't count only on professional soldiers. She will proclaim a mobilization to temporarily enlist any volunteer of age and condition to fight. She relies on the motivation of families affected by this scourge.
- Hum… Sure, when Wally was little, if he had been taken away from me, I would have done everything to bring him home, including taking up arms myself!
- When we have a first estimate of the number of volunteers, you will send me this information, and you will take care of all the logistics. So spoke the Prince.
- At your command, Your Majesty.
Bäsenhau left his seat, bowed, and left the study. The Prince felt a migraine tormenting him cruelly. It was time to take some rest. However, he wanted to see how his kind were doing.
He found Heike and Isolde in Bianka's bedroom. Kristofferson had taken advantage of his trip to Esmeralda's Blessing to do a mounted patrol around, and Gabriel had taken refuge in his bed as soon as supper was over. He repeated to the girls what Bäsenhau had taught him, they were appalled.
- Can the Feral Skaven attack us here? stammered Isolde, frozen with fear.
- No, sweetheart, answered her mother, they only attack small villages. As we are a big city in a very open place, if they come, we will see them coming, and we can defend ourselves.
- Gabriel told me they had invaded big cities several times, among the Humans! They're coming out of the sewers!
- It's true, that too, but we have something more than all these big cities: we are Skaven. We can smell them. If they arrive in large enough numbers to invade us, the soldiers of our army will detect all the bad odours they emit, they will not be able to surprise us, as they did with the Humans.
- Do we have any news on where their hiding place is? Bianka mumbled.
- Not yet, my angel. I've had enough of waiting. I've already asked Renata to muster troops and recruit volunteers. They will prepare to leave as soon as we have a place to go.
- How much longer will we have to wait? groaned the blonde Skaven.
- As long as it takes, replied her grandfather. What a pity that Psody is not there... He could have helped us to spot the place where these Feral Skaven are hiding, through Emil.
- Could he? Bianka asked.
- With the permission of his parents, Psody had kept a tuft of Emil's hair, to be able to find him in case something happened to him. Well… Forget about it.
- Can we ask Master Brisingr to help us? murmured Isolde.
- You are silly! Bianka spat. He's an infamous traitor! He would lead us into a trap!
- My darling, I have already explained to you a hundred times that Brisingr Steadyhand cannot be a traitor! Heike intervened painfully.
- Then, why is he in prison? Perhaps because of the many evidences I found?
- Maybe it's fake evidence, like for Romulus? You don't believe Romulus could be a traitor, do you? So why wouldn't it be the same for Brisingr? Anyway, I think he's innocent.
Heike felt a wave of anger rise above her daughter's bed.
- Yes, Mother, you may be right. He's innocent, all the elements are fake, and the whole temple of Verena is full of incompetent clerics! Yes, it has to be that! And me, then, I am an incapable, or the Purple Hand bribed me! The whole world is a traitor, except his magnificence, the great Brisingr Steadyhand, appointed benefactor of Vereinbarung!
- Bianka, stop! the Prince ordered. We got it, no need to add more!
The blonde Skaven was silent. The little ratgirl whispered, tears in her eyes:
- I'm not a traita!
Heike knelt down next to her daughter, and hugged her.
- I know it well, my little sweetheart.
- My children, I think it's time for everyone to go to sleep. We are going to need all our resources for the next few days.
Heike took Isolde in her arms and left the room. Before going out in his turn, the Prince spoke to the high archivist.
- I'll tell Kristofferson that your words flew faster than your judgment. But I'll also remind him that a well-bred gentleman doesn't give a lady a bouquet like that.
Overwhelmed by weariness, Bianka chooses to laugh nervously.
The madness keeps rising...and you get it all! Please forgive your mother!
Sitting at her bedroom window, Heike was gently massaging her belly. Like all women happy to expect a child, she regularly spoke to her baby, by word or by thought. Girl or boy, she didn't know it yet, but she was ready to love this child as much as the other five.
Isolde had just fallen asleep. Outside, the wind was blowing, and the whistles it produced through the various gaps in the shutters and windows of the house sounded like groans. For a few moments, the ratmother felt like she was in a place beset by ghosts.
Ghosts... Indeed, the kingdom would be quickly full of ghosts, between the Bretonnians, the Feral Skaven and the Purple Hand. Vereinbarung had to face three opponents simultaneously, each more vicious than the previous. Many lives were likely to be abruptly cut short.
She looked down, and noticed her fingers were no longer touching her skin, but nervously clutching the bracelet she wore on her wrist. It was a gold bracelet, decorated with encrusted pearls, themselves surrounded by fine carvings in which the goldsmith had poured copper. She smiled a little when she remembered that night when Psody had given it to her. This bracelet from Lustria was proof that their souls had been permanently linked at that moment.
She couldn't hold back her tears. While massaging her belly again, she whispered:
- Your father… I miss your father so much. If only I could bring him back!